What is CBD?
Cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD, is one of the 400+ chemical compounds that have been isolated from cannabis. These Cannabinoids are diverse chemical compounds known for their medicinal properties documented over thousands of years throughout the history of our planet.
In the past most of the research surrounding Cannabis focused on Tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC. Because THC can alter physical perceptions, it is described as being psychoactive.
After the controlled Substance Act of 1970 was enacted, illicit Cannabis breeders sought to breed strains that had higher amounts of THC to increase THC yield without needing larger growing spaces. The growers did not realize that driving THC up caused CBD content to drop. By 1995, after decades of breeding, cannabis had a ratio of THC to CBD was <15:1, and by 2014 the ratio had jumped to <80:1 as CBD content dropped and THC content increased. Research in recent years has shown that using CBD offers health benefits without having to experience those pesky psychoactive effects that come with using THC.
Hemp vs. Marijuana
While hemp and marijuana both come from the cannabis plant, their chemical compounds cause their functions to differ in essential ways. The chemical THC plays an important role in distinguishing the two compounds.
Marijuana on average contains 10% to 25% of the THC that some consumers enjoy as a feeling of euphoria. Congress passed the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 that restricts legal hemp from containing more than 0.3% THC. This low content makes it impossible for consumers to experience a psychoactive effect by consuming hemp-derived products. Marijuana is well-known for its recreational use and over time recreational users began ‘medicating with marijuana’ for the therapeutic effects they found. In contrast to marijuana, hemp is grown and harvested to create products such as rope, clothing, food, and plastic. With the recognition of CBD’s benefits, farmers grow special hemp strains to produce CBD for CBD infused products.
How is CBD Oil Made?
Producers use several extraction processes to separate CBD from the hemp plant and to generate a pure form of CBD. Two common extraction processes include CO2 extraction and ethanol extraction. Both methods are regarded as the cleanest methods for extracting CBD.
CO2 Extraction
The CO2 extraction process entails passing liquid CO2 through ground plant material within a series of chambers. To perform an extraction, the plant material must be ground and placed into an extraction vessel. The processor introduces CO2 gas that has been compressed to a liquid state. This supercritical CO2 passes into the extraction vessel where it soaks the plant material. The cannabinoids inside the trichome glands dissolve into the CO2. Filters retain the plant material while the operator drains off the CO2. The operator then evaporates off the CO2 leaving behind the Full Spectrum CBD-rich extract.
The resulting CBD extract may be mixed with other oils or solvents.
Ethanol Extraction
Ethanol Extraction is a process used concentrate plant compounds from raw plant matter. The ethanol is mixed with the cannabis plant leaves or flowers to remove cannabinoids and terpenes.
Ethanol is a polar solvent, meaning it can absorb and dissolve both polar and non-polar molecules. Cannabinoids tend to be oily, but water-soluble molecules like chlorophyll also go into solution. After soaking, the technician filters out the plant matter and the alcohol gets transferred to a distillation apparatus. The still pot boils the alcohol generating alcohol vapor. A cooling apparatus chills the pure alcohol vapor to liquid away from the pot and this liquid gets recovered and recycled. The residue from the boiling pot can be further refined but the concentrated ‘liquor’ can be used in beverages or foodstuffs to produce edibles.
Ethanol comes from conventional fermentation and has the positive esthetic of being derived from foodstuffs rather than from chemical or petrochemical refining. Other extraction solvents known to be used to concentrate cannabis include butane, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and certain refrigerants.
Cannabinoids are a group of chemical compounds that can be found in hemp plants, and in the human body.
Endocannabinoids are produced in the human body.
Phytocannabinoid are found in plants.
Synthetic Cannabinoids are made using organic chemistry techniques.
Phytocannabinoids can be found in “Full Spectrum” extracts. Full spectrum extracts are incorporated into various products.
Types of CBD
FULL SPECTRUM products contain the whole hemp plant’s naturally-occurring cannabinoids. These cannabinoids include terpenes, flavonoids, THC, CBD and many more.
BROAD SPECTRUM extracts maintain the same naturally occurring cannabinoids as Full Spectrum, however manufacturers use a refining process to remove the THC.
CBD ISOLATE Through the preferred extraction process, all cannabinoids are removed except CBD. This means that CBD ISOLATE is the purest form of CBD.
What is Full Spectrum CBD?
The easiest way to understand Full Spectrum CBD is to compare it to CBD Isolate. When isolate is extracted from the hemp plant, the goal is to retrieve only one cannabinoid, CBD. This is no small feat, considering the hemp plant contains over 100 chemical compounds including terpenes, cannabinoids, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals.
In Full Spectrum CBD, all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytochemicals in the hemp plant are extracted alongside CBD. One cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, is more prominent in the final Full Spectrum product. However, the government requires products to contain less than 0.3% THC, making it unlikely that consumers can experience a psychoactive effect.
Many people studying cannabis believe that all of the cannabinoids work together in a unique way to create the entourage effect.
The Entourage Effect
Everyone needs a little help from their friends. Cannabinoids are no different. They love their entourage. Research suggests that in Full Spectrum CBD products, the various cannabinoids leverage a symbiotic relationship that promotes the healthy functioning. Scientists call this symbiotic use of different cannabinoids the Entourage Effect. The term means users derive more health benefits and therapeutic effects from Full Spectrum CBD products.
How should you think of the entourage effect in your daily life? You might think of Full Spectrum CBD as being like extra strength aspirin. If you’re a new CBD user, you might want to start with a CBD isolate product and work your way up to Full Spectrum CBD. If you’re an avid CBD isolate devotee looking for some additional strength, we encourage you to incorporate Full Spectrum into your daily routine.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (AKA THC)
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Full Spectrum products contain less than 0.3% of THC. While CBD Isolate products contain trace amounts of THC, the content remains far below the legal limit and cannot give you the sensation of being “high.”
The inclusion of THC in Full Spectrum CBD spurs the Entourage Effect, helping you reap the full benefits of the hemp plant. You can enjoy these benefits anywhere in the U.S.A. because Full Spectrum CBD can be legally shipped to all 50 states.However, if you are subject to urine or other drug tests as part of your employment, using a CBD product with ANY THC content may cause the test to come back positive. Do not use a THC-containing product if you take drug tests.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (AKA THC)
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Full Spectrum products contain less than 0.3% of THC. While CBD Isolate products contain trace amounts of THC, the content remains far below the legal limit and cannot give you the sensation of being “high.”
The inclusion of THC in Full Spectrum CBD spurs the Entourage Effect, helping you reap the full benefits of the hemp plant. You can enjoy these benefits anywhere in the U.S.A. because Full Spectrum CBD can be legally shipped to all 50 states.However, if you are subject to urine or other drug tests as part of your employment, using a CBD product with ANY THC content may cause the test to come back positive. Do not use a THC-containing product if you take drug tests.
The Human Endocannabinoid System
Cannabinoids interact with an internal system that all mammals have called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The ECS consists of many receptors that play a vital role in regulating many functions in your body such as emotional feelings, pain sensations and sleep. There are two main types of receptors in your ECS known as the CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors are like “locks” and cannabinoids are like “keys.” When functions of the body are “off,” cannabinoids can be introduced to bring your body back to a balanced state.
